Limu & Weight Loss

by
JANET RENEE, MS, RD Last Updated: Jul 20, 2015

Janet Renee, MS, RD

Janet Renee is a clinical dietitian with a special interest in weight management, sports dietetics, medical nutrition therapy and diet trends. She earned her Master of Science in nutrition from the University of Chicago and has contributed to health and wellness magazines, including Prevention, Self, Shape and Cooking Light.

It's always best to approach weight-loss supplements, including Limu, with caution. This liquid dietary supplement is promoted for weight control and taken in a similar fashion to wheatgrass. It contains a substance extracted from brown seaweed called fucoidan. Researchers have studied fucoidan for various purposes like weight loss and cancer treatment, but it's too early to say whether it works for sure.

Bioactive Ingredient

According to the manufacturer's website, fucoidan is the key ingredient that gives Limu its weight-loss and energy-boosting properties. Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide, which just means it contains sulfate ions as part of its structure. The sugar L-fucose and sulfate ester groups make up most of fucoidan's composition. Fucoidan has a wide range of biological activity, including anti-blood clotting, anti-viral, immune-boosting, antioxidant and anti-tumor properties, according to an article published in the 2008 edition of the journal Molecules. It also has cholesterol-lowering properties, according to the article.

Weight Loss Research

Most fucoidan research has been conducted on animals. However, a small study involving 22 female college students yielded positive results. Based on previous research showing fucoidan reduces body fat in mice, researchers evaluated the effect of a brown seaweed supplement, along with diet and exercise. Eight weeks on the program resulted in significant reductions in body fat, weight and body fat percentage, according to the authors. The study was published in the winter 2009 issue of the journal Nutrition Research and Practice.

Limu Nutrition Facts

Limu comes in a 33-ounce bottle that contains multiple servings and is meant to be taken daily as a supplement. It contains a blend of papaya and mango puree, along with apple and pear juice from concentrate. The total calorie content per 1-ounce serving is 7, and it provides less than 2 grams of carbohydrates in that same serving size. According to the manufacturer, Limu is free of added sugar, artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners.

Potential Side Effects

Published research studies on Limu are lacking, but the main ingredient, fucoidan, may not be safe for everyone. Avoid Limu if you're taking blood-thinning medication. Limu has anti-coagulant properties that may increase your bleeding risk if taken with this medication. No adverse side effects have been reported. However, that doesn't guarantee that it's side effect-free. Tell your doctor about all of the medications you take and get permission before taking it. Discontinue use if you experience bothersome side effects that fail to go away on their own.